1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printer and printer control method.
2. Related Art
Printers (networkable printers) that communicate with a host computer using a network address (such as an IP address) are known.
When a printer of this type (referred to below as the original printer) is replaced with another printer (referred to below as the replacement printer), such as when a malfunctioning printer is replaced with a normally operating printer, the replacement printer is configured based on settings information (the settings) of the original printer. The settings may including network settings (such as the IP address), or printer settings (such as the paper width, print area, print density, print speed).
However, some degree of technical knowledge or a dedicated device is needed to set the settings in the replacement printer. When, for example, a printer is replaced in a supermarket or other kind of store where a POS system is used, it can therefore be difficult for a non-technical user (such as a store employee) to quickly and accurately set the printer settings in the replacement printer.
JP-A-2007-74344, for example, therefore proposes, when replacing a printer, reading the settings information wirelessly by a reader/writer from a wireless tag (such as an RF tag) attached to a communication cable, and transferring the settings that are read to the replacement printer.
JP-A-2011-164872 proposes a printer having an interface to which USB memory or other external memory device can connect, determining if external memory is connected to the interface, reading any settings information from the external memory device if an external memory device is connected, and configuring the replacement printer based on the read settings information.
While the technologies taught in JP-A-2007-74344 and JP-A-2011-164872 enable setting the settings information in the replacement printer relatively easily, problems remain.
In JP-A-2007-74344, for example, the RF tag is attached to a flexible communication cable (the cable itself), and the relative positions of the RF tag and the reader/writer are not always the same. Therefore, depending on the relative positions of the RF tag and reader/writer, the replacement printer may not be able to reliably read the settings information from the RF tag. As a result, the settings information may not be quickly and correctly set in the replacement printer.
JP-A-2011-164872 does not apply to a printer having a first circuit board (such as an expansion board) with a network connectable first interface, and a second circuit board (such as a main circuit board) with a second interface connectable to the first circuit board, and in a printer having such a first circuit board and second circuit board, appropriately setting the settings information may not be possible even if the settings are set using the method described in JP-A-2011-164872.